FIRST AID and DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICINES POLICY 1. POLICY STATEMENT Care of people and concern for their welfare are integral to the ethos of Dromana Primary School. This school is committed to ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all employees, students and others who are legally present on our premises and in our workplace. In keeping with this commitment, priority is given to the provision of adequate first aid facilities and first aid treatment for all persons at Dromana Primary School in accordance with the legislative requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011. 2. POLICY FRAMEWORK AND CONTENT The school also recognises that it has a duty of care and is responsible and accountable for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of students, workers, volunteers and other people who provide services to the school. To meet these social and moral responsibilities and to meet our commitment under the legislation, we will provide resources including finance for first aid facilities, first aid equipment and appropriate training, policy and procedure. The school will be responsible for maintaining records of staff training in first aid and CPR/emergency care, and collating injury and illness records and information. 3. SCHOOL COMMITMENT AND RESPONSIBILITIES The principal (or a person acting in the capacity of the principal) of the school, as required under the WHS Act 2011 and Regulation 2011 is responsible for: provision of first aid equipment based on an assessment of the needs of the school providing access to facilities for the administration of first aid providing an adequate number of staff are trained to administer first aid at the workplace. To meet these responsibilities the Principal shall: Determine the number of personnel trained in first aid Consider a minimum of at least four staff members in the primary school are trained in first aid Provide adequate and ongoing training/information for all teachers and ancillary staff as required including CPR/emergency care training Provide sufficient time or support for first aiders and others in charge of first aid facilities to perform their duties
Provide adequate signage for first aid facilities and kits in accordance with Australian Standards Facilitate the development of policy and procedures adapted to the particular requirements of the school/school Provide ongoing evaluation and review of the needs of the school/school environment Monitor ongoing compliance with legislative requirements Maintain a reporting and recording system for first aid including a register of injuries Investigate, in consultation with WHS Committee(s)/Representative(s), incidents involving injury and illness Keep a record of employees who are trained in first aid and their level of training. 4. IMPLEMENTATION Teachers are supplied with Band-Aids to enable them to tend to minor injuries in the classroom and while on yard duty, students with allergies to Band-Aids will be sent directly to sick bay for treatment. Students will be referred to the first aid room after first consulting with the teacher on duty. Students will notify office staff prior to entering the first aid room. The first aider will fill out a Dromana Primary School Report of Medical Treatment for Child noting details of the first aid incident and attend to the injury/illness as required. In the case of a serious injury, an accident report form must be filled in and entered into CASES21. In this case, parents/legal guardians will be informed as soon as possible of their child s condition and of any first aid treatment their child has received. An attempt should be made to contact the parents/legal guardians before calling for medical attention except in an emergency. Parents/legal guardians should be informed of any first aid emergency treatment their child has received. Management plans are kept in the office for those students suffering from asthma, epilepsy, anaphylaxis, other severe allergies and diabetes. Although first aid cabinets normally will only be accessed by those staff with designated first aid responsibilities, all staff must be aware of their location in case of an emergency. Any medications supplied by parents/legal guardians will be stored separately in a locked cupboard or drawer. First Aid kits should be kept out of locked cupboards. First aid cupboards should contain the relevant type and quantity of supplies to suit the requirements of the school. Medications supplied by parents/legal guardians will be stored in a personalized medication box in a locked cupboard. Each first aid cupboard will contain a suitable and current first aid manual. Supervision of children in the sick bay will depend on the severity of the injury/illness. Staff with current first aid qualifications should be listed with the specific type and level of first aid training, and be available to the person in charge of first aid on request or in an emergency. First aid kits are available for all groups that leave the school on excursions. The content of these kits will be dependent on the nature of the activities, the number of students and staff, and the location of the excursion.
Portable first aid kits are available for staff on yard duty. Students who present frequently for first aid or who are frequently unwell should be encouraged to examine eating, sleeping and leisure activities to determine reasons for feeling unwell. Parent/legal guardian contact may be necessary. Staff concerned with a student s health should discuss the matter with relevant staff. Where possible, only staff with first aid qualifications should provide first aid. However, in an emergency other staff may be required to help within their level of competency. In the case of any media attending because of an illness/accident, only the school principal or his/her nominee will be permitted to make comment to the media. A member of staff will be allocated responsibility for the overall organisation of all first aid, sick bay supervision and the maintenance of the first aid cupboard(s) and kit(s). Desirably, this staff member should have first aid qualifications of Level 2 First Aid or its equivalent. A Medication Authority Form, Student Health Support Plan and/or Student Medical Condition Management Plan must be completed and be current for students who have an identified health care need or require medication or treatments at school. See Appendices. 5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS AND/OR GUARDIANS To ensure the health and safety of students at all times and to ensure that staff have necessary medical information, parents and/or guardians are responsible, in relation to their children and/or charges, for: o Keeping the school informed of any medical conditions, treatments and medical contact details. o Providing staff with appropriate information and training/instruction where medical conditions require specialised treatment. o Providing school with a new Medication Authority Form at the start of every school year. o Updating the school on any changes in medical conditions and/or required treatments by completing a new Medication Authority Form. o The school will only keep up to a maximum of two weeks of medication at any one time and the medication must be stored in a two week dosage medication box. Each compartment of the medication box must only contain the dosage prescribed. o Medication is to be delivered to the school office by a parent where two staff members will check and count the medication with the parent present and sign the medication log. o Medication must not be left in a child s schoolbag and will not be accepted for delivery by the child. Should a child present medication directly to staff, staff will immediately contact the parent. o At the end of every school year, parents will be contacted by email or SMS message to collect any remaining medication. Should medication not be collected, it will be disposed of in the appropriate manner by a pharmacist. o Parents will be able to read Compass daily to verify that prescribed medications have been distributed accordingly. Details of time, dosage, date and persons administering the medication will be visible on the Compass record. 6. EMERGENCY RESPONSE In a medical emergency, staff should take emergency action without waiting for parent/guardian consent (if the incident relates to a student). Delays in these circumstances could compromise safety.
Once the action has been taken, staff should notify: parents/guardians or the student s emergency contact (if the incident relates to a student) the Education Department s Security Services Unit on (03) 9589 6266. Examples: An emergency response may be required if the: parents/guardians or emergency contact delay collecting the student student s health and safety starts to deteriorate. 7. APPENDICES A: Dromana Primary School Medication Authority Form B: Student Health Support Plan 8. EVALUATION Our school leadership team, in consultation with a staff representative of the WHS Committee will regularly monitor, evaluate and review this First Aid Policy, related guidelines, procedures and relevant records, to ensure continuous improvement of first aid management. This policy was last ratified by School Council on 2015
Appendix A Medication Authority Form for a student who requires medication whilst at school This form should be completed ideally by the student s medical/health practitioner, for all medication to be administered at school. For those students with asthma, an Asthma Foundation s School Asthma Action Plan should be completed instead. For those students with anaphylaxis, an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis should be completed instead. These forms are available from the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA): http://www.allergy.org.au/health-professionals/ascia-plans-action-and-treatment. Please only complete those sections in this form which are relevant to the student s health support needs.
Name of Medication/s Dosage (amount) Time/s to be taken How is it to be taken? Dates (e.g. orally/ topical/injection) Start date: / / End Date: / / Ongoing medication Start date: / / End Date: / / Ongoing medication Student s Name: Date of Birth: MedicAlert Number (if relevant): Review date for this form: Please Note: wherever possible, medication should be scheduled outside the school hours, e.g. medication required three times a day is generally not required during a school day: it can be taken before and after school and before bed. Medication required: Medication Storage Please indicate if there are specific storage instructions for the medication:
Appendix B STUDENT HEALTH SUPPORT PLAN (Medical Condition Management) This plan outlines how the school will support the student s health care needs, based on health advice received from the student s medical/health practitioner. This form must be completed for each student with an identified health care need (not including those with Anaphylaxis as this is done via an Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/health/pages/anaphylaxisschl.aspx. This Plan is to be completed by the principal or nominee in collaboration with the parent/carer and student.
Dromana Primary School: Student s name: Year level: Parent/carer contact information (1) Phone: Date of birth: Proposed date for review of this Plan: Parent/carer contact information (2) Other emergency contacts (if parent/carer not available) Name: Name: Name: Relationship: Relationship: Relationship: Home phone: Home phone: Home phone: Work phone: Work phone: Work phone: Mobile: Mobile: Mobile: Address: Address: Address: Medical /Health practitioner contact: Ideally, this plan should be developed based on health advice received via the appropriate Departmental Medical Advice form or in case of asthma, the Asthma Foundation s School Asthma Action Plan. Please tick the appropriate form which has been completed and attach to this Plan. All forms are available from the Health Support Planning Forms School Policy and Advisory Guide General Medical Advice Form - for a student with a health condition School Asthma Action Plan Condition Specific Medical Advice Form Cystic Fibrosis Condition Specific Medical Advice Form Acquired Brain Injury Condition Specific Medical Advice Form Cancer Condition Specific Medical Advice Form Diabetes List who will receive copies of this Student Health Support Plan: Condition Specific Medical Advice Form Epilepsy Personal Care Medical Advice Form - for a student who requires support for transfers and positioning Personal Care Medical Advice Form - for a student who requires support for oral eating and drinking Personal Care Medical Advice Form - for a student who requires support for continence 1. Student s Family 2. Other: 3.